


no signs that show the way back home

by badlands (delusiohns)



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: College, Drinking, F/F, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 04:49:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14804660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delusiohns/pseuds/badlands
Summary: "You once told me to follow my heart"





	no signs that show the way back home

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this kind of just wrote itself

She wonders if Riley's thinking of her.

Maya's also thinking about how the three little bottles of Smirnoff are making the room spin. And  maybe  she shouldn't have had them so  quickly.  And when Smackle warned her about how dangerous those cute, sugary pink drinks are, Smackle was very right. Not that Smackle is ever wrong about anything.

Farkle told Maya that Maya didn't have to worry. Her and Riley would be friends forever. Farkle gave her that stupid smile with those soft eyes, "C'mon, Maya. What do you have to worry about? You're her Pluto. Pluto will always exist in Riley's orbit." She wonders if Farkle was right. Not that Farkle is ever wrong about anything. 

Maya was a mess when she left Riley. Although, Maya encouraged it.

At first, Riley tried to hide the fact that she got into a different school and _wanted_  to go to a different school. But secrets have never  been held  very well within their group.

It comes out when they're hanging out in Riley's living room. Conversation is flowing between the six of them when Lucas  accidentally  lets it slip. Everything in the room comes to a halt. It felt like a sucker punch to the gut, the air left Maya's lungs.  Immediately, apologies spill out of Lucas's mouths and some fight ensues between Riley and Lucas  .  She catches something about, "She's your *friend*, I'm sorry but friends don't keep secrets from each other, Riley ." It's difficult for Maya to register what's going on when a million thoughts are going through her mind.

Zay tries to excuse himself and Smackle pulls him back down on the couch. The two watch what goes down like a slow moving car crash. Farkle keeps his eyes on Maya, who is trying to remember how to breathe. Riley and Maya had been planning to go to NYU together for the entirety of their senior year. Late night talks about dorming together and going to college parties.  Suddenly, the future she created with Riley had  been stripped  from her, ripped from right underneath her feet.

And it's all too much for Maya to handle. She gets up and tries to leave, interrupting the fight between Lucas and Riley. Riley gets up and grabs Maya by the arm, trying to get her to stay.

"Maya, wait," Riley tried pleading with her, tears already swelling in those puppy eyes of hers.

But the room was spinning and everything seemed to be closing in around her, "I  just \- I need some space. I gotta get out of here."

Riley took a step back and her hands off of Maya, "Yeah, no, yeah, of course," she shook her head and tried to blink back the tears, "See you around, Maya ."

But the last part came out sounding more like a question to which Maya responded with a choked, "Yeah, see you around, Riley," and a watery, faltering smile. Maya left the apartment and everyone behind.

It was a long week and  perhaps  the longest time that Maya and Riley have gone without contact. It ends with Maya crawling through Riley's window.

"Peaches," Riley's eyes are wide and her smile is wider.

"Yeah, Riles?" She's sure her smile matches Riley's but there's still sadness in her eyes. She knows where this conversation is going to lead.

"I've missed you, Peaches," she all but jumps into Maya's arms. Tears threatening to spill onto Maya's sweater, who is laughing but hugging her back.

When they release each other and calm down, it's quiet for a moment. There's a heaviness in the air, a sharp contrast to what the girls  are used  to. Everything used to be easy between the two of them but then high school and Lucas and college happened.

"I thought you were never going to talk to me again," it comes out  barely  above a whisper. It's choked and raw and tears are coming down Riley's cheeks.

Maya gulps, _hard_ , and tries to stop her own tears from coming out. She feels her heart  physically  breaking in her chest and,  _God,_  Riley isn't making this talk any easier. The only thing she can get out is a weak, "Never."

The conversation that follows is a blur of tears and hurt and pleading. Maya pleading with Riley to go wherever her heart desires and to follow her dreams.

"You're my heart, Maya," Riley begs, "I want to stay with you. Let's go to NYU together."

"Riley, stop, that's not what you want. I'll be okay, I  just  want you to be happy."

It's hours of back and forth and by the end of it, Maya's not sure if she has anymore heart left to give. Because her heart has  been crushed  to a pulp and she gave this conversation her all.  It ends with Riley deciding to go to college in a different state but promising Maya that she'll call her every single day.

 

But they're in college now and life gets hard.

It's been a couple days since she heard from Riley. They got into some stupid fight about Riley not coming home to see Maya's showcase. It became a contest over who cares more and who's doing more for the relationship.

"You're not even trying, Riley! I never hear from you, anymore. Do you even know what's going on in my life? Do you even _care_?"

So now Maya's at this showcase. getting drunk out of her mind. Farkle and Smackle are there trying to comfort her, trying to calm her down.  Farkle is telling her how he's  incredibly  proud of her while Smackle is trying to  stealthily  get the bottle of Smirnoff out of her hand.

People keep coming up to Maya and telling her how amazing her art is. She has paintings, drawings, even some photography on display. There are depictions of different things she's seen around campus, sunsets and sunrises. And a few paintings of Riley and her friends that she paints whenever she misses them more than usual.

She appreciates them all for coming but she needs to get away for a little. So she slips away to the bathroom while Farkle and Smackle  are distracted. She's finds herself humming to herself as she washes her hands.  Maya thinks back to this thing that she once read, _"You never realize how drunk you are until you're alone in the bathroom,"_ and she giggles to herself.

"That's so true," she mutters, pumping more soap into her hands

"What's so true?" Riley is  suddenly  standing behind her, looking at her through the mirror. There's a nervous smile on her face and she shifts her weight from one foot to the other.

"Woah," Maya's blue eyes are wide, "I must be  really  drunk because  I think  I see Riley."

A laugh erupts from Riley's chest and it makes Maya feel warm all over like liquid sunshine is being poured over her body. All Maya can do is smile at Riley through the mirror, this big, toothy grin.

"I'm sorry for not being here sooner," Riley says after collecting herself, "I'm sorry for everything." Her voice is small, Maya doesn't think she's ever seen Riley look so small before.

Maya turns to face Riley, placing her palms on the sides of the sink to steady herself, "What are you doing here, Riles?"

A sheepish smile finds itself on Riley's face, "You once told me to follow my heart," she reaches out to trace Maya's jawline with her fingertips, "Here I am."

Maya can't help but laugh, "God, you're so cheesy," but she wraps her hands in Riley's shirt.

"Yeah," Riley's smile grows more confident and her voice drops, "But you love me."

"Yeah, I do," the playfulness in her voice she had before has disappeared. Maya closes the distance between them, pressing her lips against Riley's. The taste of the Smirnoff mixed with _Riley_  is more intoxicating than anything she's had all night.

When they separate, they breathe each other's air for a while, holding one another.  "C'mon," Riley speaks first, breaking the silence in the bathroom, "Let's check out this showcase."

Maya laughs and intertwines her hand with Riley's, "Let's go."

**Author's Note:**

> i'm looking for someone to proofread or help me beta, that'd be so so cool. but as of right now, all mistakes are mine so i apologize


End file.
